Gridiron



June 24, 1930.- T, WE CH El AL 1,766,572

GRIDIRON Filed July 3, 1929 INVENTORS, Joe Iwelcg gc- JohnBMcAlpin:

ATTORN YQ Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOE '1. WELCH AND JOHN E. MGALPINE, OF TEN MILE TOWNSHIP, WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON GRIDIRON Application filed July 3, 1929.

Our invention relates to improvements in gridirons, more especially the kind used in the barbecuing of salmon and the like, and has for an object to provide a gridiron especially well suited for retaining salmon of variable sizes during the barbecuing process. Other objects of our improvement will appear as the description proceeds.

We attain these and other objects of our improvement with the device illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawing, which forms a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation view of our gridiron with a salmon in place therein shown in dotted outline; Fig. 2 is an edge elevation View of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the lower end of Fig. 1 limited to the lower end thereof.

Certain parts are broken away for lack of space or to show other parts hidden thereby.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout.

With more particular reference to the designated parts: Staff 4 is sharpened on the lower end at 5 for insertion in the ground and preferably is made of an iron angle bar. To one web of staff 4 are fastened cross bars 7 at spaced intervals. Back bar 8 is preferably an iron angle bar one web of which has tapered ends at 9 and 10. Cross bars 11 are fastened to the other web of back bar 8 at spaced intervals to overlie cross bars 7 when back bar 8 overlies staff 4. A cleaned and opened salmon 15 is placed between grids 4,'? and 8, 11 which are forcedly drawn together by rings 12 and 13 through which the juxtaposed ends of staff 4 and back bar 8 are extended. Rings 12 and 13 are normally disposed to bear on tapering ends 9 and 10 respectively and are of a diameter to dispose them near the ends of said tapers when salmon 15 is fresh and may be moved upward on said tapers as the thickness of the salmon shrinks as the barbecuing process proceeds in order to retain the fish firmly clamped in the gridiron during the entire process of barbecuing. Several sizes of these rings are provided to allow for varying thickness in different salmon.

On the outer edge of the web of angle Serial No. 375,751.

bar 4 to which cross bars 7 are not fastened are provided notches 6 opposite taper 10 to engage ring 13 and retain it in a desired location on bevel 10. As shown, notches 6 are near the lower end of staff 4 which, when in I operative position is nearly vertical, in order to prevent ring 13 from slipping downward on taper 10. Similar notches are not required at the upper end of staff 4 because here ring 12 tends to move downward on the staff which tends to clamp the gridiron more closely.

After the salmon is clamped between staff 4 and back bar 8 cross bars 7 11 are forced by hand as closely together as necessary to clamp the fish in the gridiron and rings 14 are placed over the ends of each juxtaposed pair of bars 7, 11 to properly retain the sides of the fish in operative position between the grids.

Rings 14 are provided in several sizes to allow for varying thicknesses of fish and also for shrinkage during the barbecuing.

When the process of cooking and smoking is complete the fish may be removed from the gridiron without mutilation by removing rings, 12, 13 and 14 and separating the grids.

Having thus disclosed our invention, what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A gridiron comprising a front grid and a back grid, said back grid consisting of a staff sharpened at its bottom end and a plurality of spaced cross bars fastened to said stafi, said front grid consisting of a central bar tapered at each end and a plurality of cross bars fastened thereto equally spaced with said cross bars on said staff adapted to be disposed opposite thereto in pairs therewith, in combination with two rings through which the juxtaposed ends of said staff and said central bar are extended with said rings disposed on said tapered ends of said central bar, and a plurality of rings through each of which one of the pairs of ends of said cross bars are extended.

JOE T. \VELOH. JOHN E. MoALPINE. 

